I import an image, then TRACE it. Using OFFSET SHAPES, I attempt to create an outline/border for the image. The puzzling part is additional OFFSET shapes (artifacts ?) are created, when I’d expect just an outline of my selected shape.
Screen shot inserted shows the two shapes side-by-side. The left hand side original shape and the right side the OFFSET. I’ve noticed if I made the OFFSET SHAPE very large, the “artifacts” disappear.
How do I select and remove OFFSETS that are inside the overall OFFSET shape outline ?
Why are the “internal” offsets showing at all ?
Is there a different/better way of doing this ?
I’m simply trying to create an offset for use as a cutting perimeter/layer, while just engraving the inside image.
Those aren’t artifacts, they’re the other parts of your object being offset. If you want to offset just the outline, you have to un-group the shape, then select just the outline, and offset that.
See below - you’re offsetting the eyes, wings, and chest areas, along with the outline, because the whole object is selected:
If I select just the outer curve and then offset, I get this instead:
You can tell if something is grouped or not by the dash pattern on the selection. If it’s simple dashes, it’s a single object. If it’s a dash-dot pattern, the object is grouped.
